Lemon Chili Shrimp Sticks

2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 T. chopped cilantro
1/2 T. chinese hot chili sauce (sriacha)
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. honey
3 T. lemon juice

Combine all. Add 20 medium raw shrimp. Marinate for 3 hours. Thread shrimp onto skewers and either grill or broil for 2 minutes on each side.

Grape Salad

4 pounds red or green grapes
1-8 oz. carton softened cream cheese
1 small carton sour cream
1/2-3/4 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla

Wash and stem grapes. Lay them out on a towel to completely dry. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla with a mixer until smooth. Add grapes and stir to coat. Sprinkle with brown sugar before serving.

Salmon with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

1/3 c. mayo
1/4 c. spicy brown mustard
1 T. tarragon
1 T. chives
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
1-1/2 pounds whole side of salmon with skin

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all but salmon. Place salmon, skin side down, on parchment and season with a little salt and generously with pepper. Spread mustard sauce generously over salmon. Roast just until done, about 15 minutes.

Eggnog Bundt Cake

1 spice cake mix
1 small box vanilla or cheesecake pudding mix
1 c. nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/4 c. canola oil
1 c. light eggnog
1 egg
3 egg whites
1-1/3 c. toasted, chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a nonstick bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine cake mix, pudding, yogurt, oil, eggnog, egg and egg whites in a large bowl. Mix until creamy. Add pecans, if desired. Pour into pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Eggnog Fudge

You just have to trust me on this recipe!

1 cup White Chocolate Chips
¼ cup Butter
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
¾ cups Mashed Sweet Potato (I bake them in the oven and then let them cool)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon Salt
8 cups Powdered Sugar
2 cups Toasted Chopped Pecans or Almonds

Line an 8×8 glass dish with waxed paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, melt white chocolate, butter and sweetened condensed milk together until smooth in consistency. (I do this in 15 second increments in the microwave.) Once melted, pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir in sweet potato, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and half of the powdered sugar. Scrape the sides and mix again. With the machine on, add in remaining powdered sugar by the 1/2 cup until all is incorporated. Fudge should look very thick but still sticky. Pour in nuts and stir them in by hand. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.

Refrigerate until fudge has hardened, about 2 hours. Remove fudge from refrigerator and using the waxed paper edges, remove entire block of fudge. Using a sharp knife, cut into small squares. Serve.

Red and Green Christmas Jalapeno Jelly

1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped jalapeno pepper
5 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 (6 fluid ounce) container liquid pectin

Remove stems, veins and most of the seeds of the bell and jalapeno peppers. Mince peppers in a food processor.
In a 5-quart pot over high heat, combine bell peppers, jalapenos, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil; boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Stirring constantly, add the pectin and let mixture continue to cool for 2 minutes more. Now stir for 1 minute.
Pour into hot, sterilized jars and top with sterilized lids. Secure lids with bands and allow jars to cool slowly, creating a vacuum seal.

Homemade Fruit Leather

2 cups Strawberries Or Other Fresh Fruit, Chopped Into Small Pieces
¼ cups Water
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
¼ cups Sugar (optional, Depending On The Sweetness Of Your Fruit)
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Preheat the oven to 150 -170 degrees F.

Place the fruit in a medium saucepan with the water and lemon juice. Simmer on medium heat, mostly covered, until they are very soft and mushy. Stewing the fruit helps it retain its color.

Transfer the fruit pulp mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If it is a fruit with seeds, a food mill will remove the seeds more easily than a food processor and strainer. Taste the fruit at this point, and add the sugar if it is not sweet enough. Keep in mind that as the fruit leather dries, it will concentrate the natural sugars in the fruit and become sweeter on its own. Add a small amount of water to the mixture if necessary so that it has a pourable consistency.

Cover a baking sheet with plastic or a silicon baking pad. The temperature of the oven is low enough not to affect the plastic.

Spray or brush your baking sheet with the vegetable oil, then spread the fruit puree onto the sheet tray with an offset spatula or knife to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. Place it in the oven for 6-8 hours. Make sure there is air circulating to prevent scorching.

Invert the fruit leather onto another baking sheet that has been covered in plastic or silicon baking pad and oiled, and remove the first lining. Place in the oven or sun for another 6-8 hours. If it becomes too brittle at any point, simply brush on water with a pastry brush to rehydrate it.

Cool the sheet tray and cut the fruit leather into desired sizes. Dust with corn starch to prevent sticking, cover in plastic and store in a cool place in a sealed container.

Mushroom and Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce

⅓ cups Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (less If You're Sensitive To Spice!)
4 Tablespoons Butter
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
8 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Chopped Finely
½ cups White Or Red Wine (optional)
4 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 pounds Ground Beef
4 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
4 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 slices Swiss Cheese, Cut Into Four Squares
8 whole Dinner (or Slider) Rolls, Split
Preparation Instructions

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, and cayenne. Stir together until totally combined. Set aside. (This is the spicy fry sauce.)

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook over medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and toss around, then add wine (if using), Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook for several minute over medium heat, or until all liquid has evaporated. Transfer mushroom mixture to a separate bowl, scraping all contents from the skillet.

Mix ground beef, heavy cream, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix ingredients. Form 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the meat mixture into patties, making an indentation with your thumb to keep the patties from plumping too much when they cook. In the same skillet as the one used to cook the mushrooms, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add four patties at a time, indented side face up. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip. Spoon generous portion of mushroom mixture on each patty, then top with one or two squares of Swiss, depending on your preference. Place lid on skillet and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until burgers are cooked through and cheese is melted. Remove to a place and keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the meat mixture.

Toast halved buns under the oven broiler. Spread generously with spicy fry sauce. Place patties between buns and serve immediately with fried onion strings.

PW's Potato Skins

8 slices of bacon (I used a nice thick bacon)
8 russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
canola oil
kosher salt
1 1/2 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 C. sour cream
4 green onions, sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Rub the outside of the scrubbed potatoes with canola oil. Place on foil lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the potatoes are fork tender. Let potatoes cool so the are easy to handle. Slice in half lengthwise.

W ith a spoon or small scoop, scrape out the inner flesh of the potatoes, leaving a small margin of potato in the skins. Brush both sides of the potato skins with canola oil and salt liberally. Place the skins cut side down on the pan and return to the oven. Bake for 7 minutes and then flip the skins over to the other side. Bake for 7 minutes more or until the skins are crispy.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet and chop into small bits. Set aside. Grate the cheese.

When the skins are crisp, remove them from the oven and sprinkle each with cheese and bacon pieces. Return to the oven just until the cheese melts (2 minutes). Just before serving, spoon sour cream onto each skin and sprinkle with sliced green onion. Serve piping hot.

Mongolian Beef

1 lb top round steak or flank steak, cut thinly on the cross grain
1/4 C cornstarch
3 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or minced ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 C water
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C brown sugar
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 green onions, sliced into 2-3″ pieces
oil for frying

Dry off meat with a paper towel and slice into 1/4″ thick slices against the grain. Add to a bowl with the cornstarch and coat thoroughly.

Add 1 1/2 tsp oil to a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, stir until fragrant. Add soy sauce, water and brown sugar. Cook for about 2 minutes and remove from pan.

Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to pan over high heat. Add the meat and cook until brown on all sides and slightly crispy. Pour sauce back into pan over meat. Add green onions, stir and remove from heat. Serve with rice.

Butter Fudge Fingers

2/3 C butter
4 squares semisweet chocolate ( 1 oz ea.)
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder

Melt butter and chocolate together, cool for 10 min. In bowl beat eggs and salt until foamy, gradually add sugar, mix well. Stir in chocolate mixture. Combine flour and baking powder and gradually add in chocolate mixture. Pour into greased 15×10 pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Browned Butter Frosting—-this is what makes them!!!!!

1/2 C butter
1/3 C whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla
4 C powdered sugar

Heat butter over medium heat until nice and brown – you want it a nice deep golden brown but not burned. Remove from heat and add cream and vanilla. Beat in sugar until smooth and thick. Frost and drizzle glaze over the top.

Glaze

Chocolate chips and crisco or butter to thin chocolate if necessary. I used both semi sweet and milk chocolate for a two toned effect!

Melt together.

Herbed Oatmeal Bread

2 C water
1 C rolled oats
3 Tbsp butter
3 3/4 to 4 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C sugar
2 tsp salt
2 pkg. Active dry yeast
1 egg

Herb Butter:
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
6 Tbsp butter, melted

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in rolled oats. Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons butter. Cool to 120 to 130 degrees F.

In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast; mix well. Add rolled oats mixture and egg; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.

By hand, stir in an additional 1 3/4 cups to 1 1/2 cups flour to form stiff dough. Continue to mix the dough until smooth and elastic – about 5 minutes. Cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

Grease 13 x 9-inch pan. Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Press into greased pan. Using very sharp knife, cut diagonal lines 1 1/2 inches apart, cutting completely through dough. Repeat in opposite direction creating diamond pattern. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel.

Let rise in warm place (80 to 95 degrees F) until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover dough. Redefine cuts by poking tip of knife into cuts until knife hits bottom of pan; do not pull knife through dough

In small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and garlic powder; mix well. Set aside. Spoon 4 tablespoon of the butter over cut dough.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Brush remaining 2 tablespoons butter over bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese-herb mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.

Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake

1 cup Flour
½ cups Whole Wheat Flour (You Can Use All White Flour If You Don't Have This)
1-¼ cup Sugar
½ cups Sweetened, Flaked Coconut
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Freshly Grated Nutmeg, Or More To To Taste (optional)
1 pinch Ginger (optional)
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
2 whole Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cups Grated (unpeeled) Zucchini (See Note Below)
1 can (20 Oz. Size) Crushed Pineapple In Juice, Drained (Reserve Juice In Case You Need It For The Cake Batter Or The Frosting)
_____
FOR THE FROSTING:
2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
1 package (8 Oz. Size) Low-fat Cream Cheese, Softened (You Can Use Full-fat Cream Cheese)
2 cups Powdered Sugar, More Or Less As Needed
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Splash Of Milk Or Pineapple Juice, If Necessary
Chopped Walnuts Or Pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into the flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of the pineapple juice.
Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for about 33–35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or pineapple juice if necessary. Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.
Notes : If your zucchini are huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it’s not too watery. Also, I spread it all out on layers of paper towel to drain it and dry it off a bit. Then I measure out 2 cups. I’m not sure if this is critical, though. Nuts can also be added to the cake batter if desired. This recipe makes a very generous amount of frosting.

*This recipe can be turned into a Carrot Cake just by substituting shredded carrots for the zucchini.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 pkg. baby carrots
1 large onion, cut into large chunks

In a large pan, cover squash, carrots and onions with chicken stock. Boil on high until veggies are tender. Puree, divided, until smooth. With the last batch that needs to be pureed, add 1 cube real butter. Blend all until smooth. Return to pan and thin with half and half to desired consistency. Add curry powder and brown sugar to taste.

If desired, add 2 T. cran-apple relish to soup in bowl right before serving.

Fruit Salad

1 small lemon or vanilla instant pudding
3/4 c. milk
8 oz. cool whip

Combine ingredients together. Fold in equal parts of various fruit. I use apples, strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, grapes, etc. Try to make the pieces roughly the same size.

Dill Dip

1-1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. real mayo
1 T. Bon Appetit
1 T. Dill

Combine all until smooth. Serve with veggies.

Tropical Chocolate Fruit Dip

1 small instant chocolate pudding
1 small instant coconut cream pudding
1 c. milk
16 oz. cool whip

Combine pudding mixes. Add milk. Mix until well blended. May need a little more than 1 c. milk. Fold in cool whip. Serve with assorted fruits.

Mashed Potato Rolls

1 pkg. yeast
1-1/2 c. warm water
2/3 c. sugar
1-1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 c. lukewarm mashed potatoes
6-1/2 to 7-1/2 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine yeast mixture, sugar, salt and shortening. Stir in eggs and potatoes. Stir in 4 c. flour. Mix until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl lightly. Refrigerate for 8 hours or until read y to use. (Can be kept up to 5 days)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Punch down dough and divide into 4 portions. Divide each portion into 12 pieces. Form into rolls. Let rise 1-1/2 hours. Coat pans with nonstick cooking spray. Place rolls on pans. Bake 18-25 minutes until golden brown.

*instant potatoes work great with this if you don't have leftover mashed potatoes

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Anaheim Chilis

8 whole Anaheim Chili Peppers
½ cups Sundried Tomatoes In Oil, Including The Oil
½ whole Onion, Coarsely Chopped
2 cloves Garlic Chopped
1-½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, Divided
1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper, Divided
1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 can (15.5 Ounces) Cannellini Beans, Drained And Rinsed
2 teaspoons Cumin
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
3 ounces, weight Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
½ cups Shredded 2% Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 whole Green Onions, Green Parts Only, Chopped
8 whole Slices Of Center Cut Bacon
¾ cups Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper


Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add chili peppers and boil for 4 minutes. Remove peppers from pot and allow to cool.
In a large skillet add the sun dried tomatoes in oil, onion and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes and saute over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or just until onions start to soften. Remove from heat and let cool.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray rack (I used my cooling rack) with cooking spray and place on baking sheet.
In bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade pour the sun dried tomato and onion mixture. Pulse until finely minced. Add the cannellini beans, cumin, oregano and 1 teaspoon of the chili powder. Season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Add the cream cheese and process until smooth. Remove mixture to a small bowl and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and diced green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Set aside.
Take each chili pepper and carefully make a slit from the top of the pepper almost to the bottom point. Remove seeds. (I just rinsed the peppers under running water and they came out nicely.)
Place the brown sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of chili powder and the cayenne pepper in a pie pan or other shallow dish. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
Take each prepared chili and stuff with 2-3 tablespoons of bean and cheese mixture, depending on the size of the pepper. Wrap the pepper with the bacon, starting the bacon on the side opposite the stuffing slit and ending on the same side. Roll the bacon wrapped pepper in the brown sugar mixture and place the pepper, stuffing side up, on the prepared baking rack. The ends of the bacon should now be on the bottom of the pepper, thus eliminating the need to use toothpicks to hold the bacon to the pepper.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bacon is crispy and pepper is tender.

Citrus Cream Cheese Pull Aparts

1 package frozen roll dough
Cooking spray
1/4 cup butter or margarine — melted
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries — (such as Craisins) OR 1/2 cup dried apricots — chopped (optional)
1 cup granulated sugar — divided
8 oz. cream cheese - softened
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 cup powdered sugar
5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Thaw roll dough at room temperature 40 minutes or until soft enough to be cut.

Cut rolls in half. Place 24 halves, cut sides down, in bottom of each of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Brush butter evenly over rolls. Cover; let rise in a warm place, 30 minutes. Sprinkle with dried cranberries. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cream cheese, orange juice, and egg; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over rolls. Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and rinds. Sprinkle evenly over rolls. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350º. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Cover with foil. Bake an additional 5 mintues or until rolls in center are done. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over rolls.

OVERNIGHT VARIATION: After pouring the cream cheese mixture over rolls, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours. Gently remove plastic wrap from rolls; sprinkle with rind mixture. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. (Depending on the temperature of your kitchen it may take longer to double in size.) Proceed with recipe as directed.

White Chocolate Raspberry Bars

1/2 C butter

1 C vanilla chips

2 C vanilla wafer cookie crumbs

2 Tbsp softened butter

2 T milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 C powdered sugar

3/4 C raspberry jam (could also use peach, apricot or blackberry)

1/2 C finely chopped pecans or almonds

Lightly grease a 9 inch square pan (I used an 8 inch) In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup of the vanilla chips. Cook over low heat until melted stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir in wafer crumbs until well mixed. Press mixture evenly in greased pan.

In small saucepan, melt remaining 3/4 cup of vanilla chips over low heat, stirring constantly. In small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. butter, milk and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in melted chips and powdered sugar until smooth.

Spread jam over crumb mixture. Spread chip mixture over jam. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate until set and cut into bars. I allowed the bars to sit at room temperature for a while before cutting or else the chocolate layer cracks. Serve at room temperature.

Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

15 low-sodium Saltines
2 cups Dry minced parsley flakes
1/2 cup Dry minced onion
2 tablespoons Dry dill weed
1/4 cup Onion salt
1/4 cup Garlic salt
1/4 cup Onion powder
1/4 cup Garlic powder

Put crackers through blender on high speed until powdered. Add parsley, minced onions, and dill weed. Blend again until powdered. Dump into bowl. Stir in onion salt, garlic salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Put into container with tight−fitting lid.
Store dry mix at room temperature for 1 year.

2 T. of this mix is equivalent to 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch packet.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken and Dumplings

2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 whole Chicken, Cut Into Pieces (cut Up Fryer)
Salt And Pepper
½ cups Finely Diced Carrots
½ cups Finely Diced Celery
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
½ teaspoons Ground Thyme
¼ teaspoons Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups Apple Cider
½ cups Heavy Cream
Dumplings:
1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
½ cups Yellow Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1-½ cup Half-and-half
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley (optional)
Salt As Needed


Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.

In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.

Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks to remove chicken from the bone. Shred, then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.

Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Barefoot Contessa's Fish Salad

2-1/2 lbs. halibut
olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 c. small diced celery
3/4 c. small diced red onion
1/2 c. chopped fresh dill
1/4 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. capers, drained
3/4 c. good mayo

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the fish on a sheet pan. Rub both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Cool at room temp for 30 minutes. Remove any skin and bones.

When fish is cool, flake meat into large pieces. Add remaining ingredients including 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Mix gently and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Taste and serve at room temp.

I eat this with crackers.

Cafe Rio Rice

6 C Water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t minced garlic
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
1 t cumin
1 can green chilies
3/4 t salt
1 T butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 C uncooked long grain rice
1 T lime juice

Bring water to boil, add all ingredients, Simmer for 30 min.

Marinated Tomatoes

1 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 whole Green Onions, Sliced
1/4 cup Chopped Parsley
18 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
2 cloves Garlic, Minced Finely
2 pounds Tomatoes, Cut Into Quarters (if Big) Or Halves (if Small)
1 whole Baguette, Sliced
1 clove Garlic, Peeled



Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a large glass bowl. Whisk to combine, then add tomatoes. (You can up the quantity of tomatoes if need be.) Use regular red tomatoes, or a mixture of red, yellow, heirloom, etc. Use different sizes of tomatoes, too--pretty!

Allow to marinate for at least 3 to 4 hours, several hours if possible. Tomatoes will give off liquid as they marinate.

Use leftover tomatoes to make bruschetta: slice baguette and brush slices with olive oil. Grill on a skillet or grill pan until golden. Rub slices with garlic cloves. Top with tomatoes, allowing juice to drip on the bread.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
3 eggs
1 cup yogurt
¾ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin


In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices (may substitute with 1 ½ or 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead). In a separate bowl, beat eggs well with electric hand mixer until frothy; add yogurt, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter onto a preheated, oiled griddle, using ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes slowly over a low-medium heat for approximately 4–6 minutes, flipping as soon as you see air bubbles start to break.

Peanutty Chocolate Fudge

1-1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. evaporated milk
2 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
2 c. mini marshmallows
1-2/3 c. nestle peanut butter and milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped peanuts
1 t. vanilla

Line 8 inch baking pan with foil. Combine sugar, milk, butter and salt in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4-5 minutes, still stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, chips, peanuts and vanilla. Stir vigorously until marshmallows are melted. Pour into pan. Put in fridge until firm. Lift from pan and cut.

No Bake Cookies

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 c. peanut butter
1/8 t. salt
3 c. oats
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. butter

Combine sugar, milk, butter and salt in saucepan. Bring to a full boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Add oats. Mix well. Cool until dough will hold it's shape. Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper.

Thyme Roasted Beets

3-1/2 to 4 pounds baby or small beets
6 garlic cloves, peeled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
5 T. olive oil
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. snipped fresh thyme
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Cut tops off of beets and trim root ends. Halve or quarter the beets. Place in a 3 quart baking dish. Add garlic and thyme sprigs. Combine 3 T. olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over beets; toss to coat. Cover dish with foil.

Roast for 40-45 minutes or until tender. Uncover; let cool for 15 minutes in dish on a wire rack. If using small beets, remove the skins by wrapping one at a time in a paper towel and gently rubbing. Baby beets do not need to be peeled.

Remove garlic from dish and finely chop. Discard thyme sprigs. Combine garlic, remaining 2 T. olive oil, lemon juice and snipped thyme. Drizzle over beets; toss gently to coat.

If desired, sprinkle beets with crumbled cheese and additional thyme. Serve warm or at room temp.

Banana Bars

1 c. butter, soft
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
4 ripe bananas, mashed
2 t. lemon juice
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and butter until smooth. Add eggs and bananas and beat until smooth. Add lemon juice; mix briefly. Mix flour, salt and soda together in a separate bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in nuts. Do not overmix. Pour into a greased and floured sheet pan. Bake for 30 minutes. When cool, frost with cream cheese icing.

Skillet Bread

2 cups flour
1 T. baking powder (yes, Tablespoon)
1 t. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
3 T. butter
optional mix ins: cheese, bacon bits, green chilis, cornmeal, taco seasoning...use your imagination

Stir together the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk until a smooth batter forms. Place a cast iron skillet in the oven while it's heating up and put the butter in. Once the butter is melted and bubbly, pour the batter into the skillet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Chocolate Pancakes with Grandma's Syrup

1-1/2 c. flour
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
6 T. sugar
6 T. cocoa
1-1/4 c. warmed milk
4 T. butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk, butter and eggs and beat until smooth. Add extra milk if the batter is too thick. Cook like regular pancakes.

Syrup:
2 c. sugar
1 c. evaporated milk
1 T. butter

Boil sugar and milk, stirring constantly until all sugar is dissolved. Cook over high heat until the mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat and add butter. Let sit for 5 minutes, stir and enjoy!

Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup

2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 can (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 head (2 1/2 pounds) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup pepper jack cheese

In 4-quart saucepan, melt margarine or butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and salt; cook 2minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually stir in milk, chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups water; add cauliflower and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. In blender (with center part of blender cover removed to allow steam to escape), blend cauliflower mixture at low speed in small batches until very smooth. Return cauliflower mixture to saucepan; heat over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in mustard and cheese until melted and smooth.

I think you could add some cayenne or smoked paprika to make this even more delish.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

1 pound Spicy Breakfast Sausage
1 whole Medium Red Onion, Diced
2 slices Bacon, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
3 whole Medium Potatoes
1 quart Warm Water
3 cubes Chicken Bouillon
¼ bunch spinach, roughly chopped
½ cups Heavy Cream
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain and set the sausage aside.
Chop onions and dice bacon; add to the Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are clear. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ slices. Add warm water, bouillon cubes and potatoes to the Dutch oven and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are almost done.
Add remaining ingredients as well as the sausage and simmer for 5 more minutes. Let cool and serve with warm garlic breadsticks.

Arby's Horsey Sauce

1 c. mayo

3 T. horseradish cream

1 T. sugar

Whisk until smooth.

A-1 Sauce

1/2 c. orange juice

1/2 c. raisins

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. white vinegar

2 T. dijon mustard

1 T. grated orange peel

2 T. ketchup

2 T. chili sauce

Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Blend until smooth. Store in a glass jar in fridge for up to 90 days.

Tony Roma's Baby Back Ribs

Combine:

1 c. ketchup

1 c. vinegar

1/2 c. dark corn syrup

2 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4 t. tabasco

Heat over high heat until boiling. Reduce heat, simmer 30-40 minutes until thick.

Coat 4 pounds baby back pork ribs, front and back, with sauce. Wrap ribs in aluminum foil. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Smother with more sauce before serving.

Bisquick

8 c. flour

1-1/4 c. nonfat dry milk powder

1/4 c. baking powder

1 T. salt

2 c. shortening

Combine to salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until it resembles cornmeal. Store in tightly covered container in a cool place.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

3-1/2 c. milk

1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip

2 small pkgs. vanilla pudding

graham crackers

Mix milk with pudding until thick. Fold in cool whip. In a 9x13 pan, alternate crackers and pudding, starting with crackers. Frost.

Frosting:

3 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

6 T. milk

6 T. cocoa

1/2 t. salt

6 T. butter

Mix until smooth. Pour over cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Chicken Corn Chowder

Rotisserie Chicken, meat taken off bone and shredded

1 quart plus 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 pint 1/2 & 1/2

1/2 c. plus 2 T. butter

1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. green onions

16 oz. frozen super sweet white corn

salt and pepper to taste

In a pan, melt 1/2 c. butter. Stir in flour and cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in broth.

Saute onions in the 2 T. of butter.

Add everything to the broth and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Butter Mint Pillows

1 stick softened butter

1 lb. powdered sugar plus more for dusting

2 T. heavy cream

1 t. mint extract

red & green food coloring

Beat butter until creamy. With mixer on low, beat in sugar, cream and mint until creamy and smooth. Turn mixture out onto a work surface that has been lightly dusted with pow. sugar. Knead until smooth and satiny. Divide into 1/3's. Tint one pink, one green and leave one white. Cover each with plastic wrap to keep from drying out.

Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Lightly dust work surface again. Working with one color at a time, roll out 1/4 cupfuls, using your fingers, into a 1/2 inch thick rope. Cut into 1/2 inch pillows. Transfer to a baking sheet using a spatula. (be careful, they are soft and will squish easily) Repeat with all mixtures.

Let air dry at room temp for 1-2 days until firm enough to handle. Transfer to covered containers. Store in fridge up to 1 month or in pantry for 2 weeks.

Buttermilk Pancakes w/ Buttermilk Syrup

4 eggs

1/3 c. oil

3 c. buttermilk

1 t. salt

1 T. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

Mix all.

Stir in:

2 c. flour and 1 c. oatmeal. Cook on a griddle and keep warm in oven while you prepare syrup.

Syrup:

1 cube butter

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. buttermilk

Stir over medium heat until boiling. Take off heat and add:

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

Stir well. Serve immediately over pancakes.

Chicken Picatta

1/4 c. flour

salt and pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin

3 T. olive oil

4 minced garlic cloves

1 c. chicken broth

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 c. chopped parsley

1 T. butter

1/4 c. capers

Mix flour, salt and pepper to taste in a shallow dish. Coat chicken breasts lightly in flour mixture. Heat 2 T. olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the chicken for 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in a baking pan covered with foil and place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.

In the same pan, heat another T. of oil and saute the garlic for 1 minute. Add broth and lemon juice; stir. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes, until the broth reduces. Turn to low and add parsley, butter, zest and capers. Remove from heat and pour over chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

1 (26 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce

1 c. water

1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese

2 c. shredded mozzarella, divided

1/4 c. grated parmesan, divided

1 egg

2 T. chopped parsley

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

Brown meat and drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1-1/2 c. mozzarella, 2 T. parmesan, egg and parsley.

Spoon 1 c. meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of 1/2 each of the noodles (broken to fit), and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 c. of the remaining sauce. Top with remaining noodles, cheese and meat sauce.

Cook on low 4-5 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Let stand covered for 10 minutes. Serve with additional spaghetti sauce.

Bacon Wrapped Pineapple

• 1 pound Bacon
• 1 can Chunked Pineapple (large Chunks) or I cut up a fresh pineapple
• ½ cups Brown Sugar

Preparation InstructionsSet your oven to 375F.

Cut the pound of bacon in half. Put the brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Take a half a slice of bacon and dredge it through the brown sugar. Put a chunk of pineapple on one end of the bacon slice and roll up. Secure with a toothpick.

I put a cookie cooling rack into a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Lay the bacon pineapple bundles onto the rack.

Bake for at least 25 minutes, or until the bacon looks brown and crispy. Sometimes I pop them under the broiler for the last few minutes just to get them really crisp. But watch out – the sugar will burn!

Try to wait for them to cool slighty – only because the tasty goodness will burn your lips if it’s too hot! Enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cubes of butter ~softened
1 1/3 c. of sugar
1 c. of DARK brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 c. flour
1 bag chocolate chips


Cream butter & sugars. Mix in eggs & vanilla. Whip. Add dry ingredients. Stir. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes. Do not over bake.

Pioneer Woman's MM Sandwich

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 pounds Cube Steak (round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 whole Large Yellow Onion, Halved And Sliced Thick
• 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Sliced Into Rings
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Sliced Into Rings
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced
• 2 Tablespoons (additional) Butter
• 1-½ cup Sherry (regular Or Cooking Sherry Is Fine)
• 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 4 dashes Tabasco (more To Taste)
• 8 whole Deli Rolls (the Crustier The Better)
• 2 Tablespoons (additional) Butter
• 8 slices Cheese (Provolone, Swiss, Pepper Jack)

Preparation Instructions

Cut cube steak into strips against the grain. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over high heat. As soon as it’s melted (but before it burns) brown strips of cube steak in two or three batches, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove meat to a clean plate when brown. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onions, garlic, green peppers, and red peppers and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until relatively soft (but not flimsy.) Remove to a clean plate. Set aside.

Melt 2 add’l tablespoons butter to the skillet. Add sliced mushrooms and stir. Pour in sherry, then add Worcestershire and Tabasco. Cook over medium-high heat for five minutes, or until liquid has reduced by about a third.

Add in meat and vegetables, stirring to combine. Cook for just a few minutes to heat everything up, adding more sherry and Worcestershire (and Tabasco) as needed. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter at the end. Keep hot.

Toast halved deli rolls in plenty of butter until golden brown and crisp. Spoon meat/veggie mixture on the lower half of the bun, then spoon one or two tablespoons of pan sauce over the meat (it will soak into the bun.) Drizzle a little sauce on the underside of the top bun, too, for extra flavor and moisture. Top with cheese and broil for a minute or two, until the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately.

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

1 quart Whole Milk

1 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup Sugar

2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

1 bag Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons almond Flavoring
½ cups Milk
¼ cups Melted Butter
⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans. I use a piece of thread to cut through the dough.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 375 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls.

Pumpkin Pizelles

• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• ½ cups Butter, Softened
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Canned Pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2-½ cups Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger

*You will need a Pizzelle Iron*

1 Preheat the Pizzelle iron.

2 Beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla.

3 Sift the dry ingredients together, then fold into the sugar mix.

4 Lightly brush the Pizzelle iron with butter, then drop a teaspoon amount of dough onto the iron. Close the lid and bake for 34-60 seconds.

5 Remove. Before the cookies cool, you can shape them into cones or rolls or shallow bowls, if you want, or leave them flat.

6 Repeat buttering the iron as needed and dropping on dough and baking it until all the dough is gone.

Cornflake Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 + cups corn flakes (I prefer using Western Family brand over Kellogg's because they are less delicate)

Heat sugar and corn syrup over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and add peanut butter to pan. Pour mixture over corn flakes and stir. Add more cornflakes to desired consistency. Place balls on wax paper. Let cool.

Janalee's Glazed Eggnog Spritz

3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 cup butter softened

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp rum extract

1 egg

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp nutmeg

Heat oven to 350' If using dark or nonstick cookie sheet, heat oven to 325'.

In large bowl, beat sugar and butter on medium until fluffy. Beat in vanilla, rum and egg until smooth.

Beat in flour and nutmeg.

Place 1/4 of the dough at a time in cookie press. On ungreased cookie sheet, form desired shapes with dough. Bake 6 - 10 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Cool 1 minute : remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

RUM DRIZZLE

2 TBSP butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp rum extract

1 TBSP water

1/2 tsp nutmeg

In a small bowl, stir all glaze ingredients except nutmeg with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Pour mixture into small food- storage plastic bag: cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle glaze on cookies. Before glaze is set, sprinkle 1/2 tsp nutmeg over cookies.

Kelly we had a hard time putting the dough through my cookie press so we ended up rolling it out.

It worked fine. I had not used a pressed before.

Janalee's Sparkling Lemon Snowflakes

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 egg

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy. Add lemon peel and egg, beat until well blended. On low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until well blended.

Heat oven to 350' On floured surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with lightly floured snowflake-shaped cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheets, place 2 inches apart

Bake 8 - 10 min. or until cookies just begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

GLAZE

2 cups powdered sugar

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP water

1/4 cup coarse white sparkling sugar

In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, lemon juice and water. Using small spatula spread glaze on tops of cookies, sprinkle with sparkling sugar. When glaze is dry, store in airtight container.

Janalee's Sherry Bundt Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 (6oz.) box vanilla instant pudding mix

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup sweet sherry

4 eggs

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon ( I do not put the cinnamon in usually )

Mix all ingredients on medium speed for 5 minutes

Pour into well greased bundt pan and bake at 350' for 45 min.

Let cool for 15 - 20 minutes before removing from bundt pan.

Dust top with powdered sugar.

The following is also in the recipe. I use it sometimes. The cake is so moist anyway you have to be careful not to add to much or it will be too moist.

Mix 1/4 cup powdered sugar with 1/2 cup sherry. Poke holes in cake with a chopstick and drizzle while still in pan. Turn out of pan onto cooling rack and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Pasta Fillini (Ace's recipe)

1 lb. spaghetti

4 slices bacon, pancheta, or prosciutto (diced)

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ cup white wine or chicken broth or pasta water

2 eggs

Romano or parmesan cheese (grated)

Chopped parsley (optional)

Cook spaghetti according to directions. Brown diced meat. Pour off fat, add olive oil, garlic, & wine or broth. When spaghetti is done, drain, and immediately add 2 eggs. Mix well. Add the sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Grandma Stahle's Coconut Cream Pie

5 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups milk

¾ cup half & half

3 egg yolks

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 c. sweetened, shredded coconut

1 cup whipping cream (for top of pie)

Bake a 9” pie shell

Mix Cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a 3 qt saucepan. Add milk and cream, and cook over medium heat until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Beat egg yolks in separate container. Pour small amount of hot filling into beaten egg yolks to temper. Blend well. Pour back into saucepan. Cook 2 or 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and add butter, vanilla, and coconut. Pour into crust and refrigerate.

Pie crust

½ cups flour

¾ cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tblspoon sugar

Mix the above ingredients together.

Then mix 1 beaten egg, 1 Tablespoon vinegar, and 2 ½ tablespoons water together. Add this to the flour mixture above.

Roll out into pie crust.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden.

Grandma Stahle's Stuffed Green Peppers

4 green bell peppers

1 white onion

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 loaf French bread

Butter

Salt and Pepper

Cut off tops of green peppers, clean out, and boil them (with their tops) until tender. Chop onion and sauté it in butter. Add hamburger and sauté until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Tear chunks from the middle of the French bread and add it to the pan. Add more butter. Saute it all together. Add a little bit of water. Scoop the mix into the peppers and put the tops of the peppers back on. Put half an inch of water in the bottom of a pan, and put all four peppers in. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

BYU Brownies

1 C butter

1/2 C cocoa

2 Tbsp honey

4 eggs

2 C sugar

1 3/4 C flour

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 C chopped walnuts (opt.)

12 oz. chocolate icing (I used the recipe for the mint icing below but just added about 1/3 C of cocoa and left out the mint extract and green food coloring)

Mint Icing

5 Tbsp butter

dash of salt

3 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

2 1/3 C powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. mint extract

1-2 drops green food coloring

Melt butter and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

Prepare mint icing. Soften butter. Add salt, corn syrup and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and green food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 9 ounces chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, melted

1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides.
2. Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes.
5. Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. (Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. margarine

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. almond

Mix all. Add in 1-1/2 c. flour, 1 t. baking soda, 1 t. salt and 3 c. instant oatmeal. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls

1 chicken breast

1 T. veg. oil

2 T. minced red bell pepper

2 T. minced green onion

1/3 c. frozen corn

1/4 c. canned black beans, drained and rinsed

2 T. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 T. diced jalapenos

1/2 T. minced fresh parsley

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. chili powder

1/4 t. salt

dash of cayenne

3/4 c. shredded monterey jack cheese

5 (7 inch) flour tortillas

Rub breast with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper then grill on bbq 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside.

Preheat 1 T. oil over med-high heat. Add pepper and onion and saute for a couple of minutes. Dice chicken into small pieces and add to pan. Add rest of veggies and all spices to pan. Cook for another 4 minutes; stir well so that spinach separates into mixture. Remove from pan and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Wrap tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Spoon 1/5 of mixture into each tortilla. Fold in ends and roll like an eggroll. Hold together with a toothpick. Place in freezer for 1 hour.

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Deep fry each roll for 3-4 minutes on each side. Let each roll sit for 2 minutes then slice on the diagonal and serve with Avocado Ranch dipping sauce.

Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce:

1/4 c. mashed avocado

1/4 c. mayo

1/4 c. sour cream

1 T. buttermilk

1-1/2 t. white vinegar

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. dried parsley

1/8 t. onion powder

dash of dillweed

dash garlic powder

dash pepper

Combine all until smooth. Chill.

Coconut Orange Cupcakes

• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup vanilla or white chips
• 
  
• TOPPING:
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 
  
• In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs and orange juice; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into orange juice mixture just until moistened. Fold in oranges and chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over cupcakes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.